The Collapsible Light Trap: a portable Pennsylvania Light Trap for collecting aquatic insects.

A Collapsible Light Trap (CLT) for collecting insects, particularly aquatic insects, is described here. CLT is a modified Pennsylvania Light Trap with the advantage of being collapsible and lightweight to be carried in a small backpack and very easy to set up in the field. CLT is equipped with LED light strip wrapped around a PVC tube and can be connected to a regular 12 V / 7 Ah battery, running for more than 48 uninterrupted hours. Complete CLT weighs 0.8-1.0 kg, depending on the metal used, and the battery weighs around 2 kg, being easily transportable to more remote collecting areas. Over the years, CLTs have been used for collecting and describing the diversity of aquatic insects from Brazil, particularly caddisflies. Depending on the locality, only one trap for one night can collect over a thousand insect specimens and more than 200 individuals of caddisflies.

A diverse and partially cellulolytic fungal community contributes to the diet of three species of the aquatic insect Phylloicus (Trichoptera: Calamoceratidae) in Amazonian streams.

Investigations on the fungal community associated with the digestive tract (DT) of insects have provided insights into the diversity of associated microorganisms and their potential roles in the interaction with their hosts. However, most studies have focused on terrestrial insects, with few studies focusing on aquatic insects in Neotropical regions. We studied fungal taxa associated with the DT of larval stages of the aquatic shredders Phylloicus amazonas, P. elektoros and P. fenestratus in the Brazilian Amazon Forest. Filamentous fungi were isolated, purified and screened for cellulolytic activity. A total of 33 fungal taxa was identified through the combination of classical and molecular taxonomy. The genus Penicillium was the most frequent in DT of Phylloicus spp. (18.75%). The occurrence of fungal taxa among hosts was quite variable, with more than half of the associated fungi being exclusive of each host species. A significant portion of the fungal community associated with each host presented cellulolytic activity (± 50%). It was concluded that the fungal community associated with Phylloicus spp. larvae consist mainly of fungal taxa from food items, which come from riparian vegetation (whose plant species are variable) or are indigenous of the aquatic ecosystems, which is the habitat of these larvae.

The first microcaddisflies Metrichia Ross, 1938 recorded in Tocantins State, northern Brazil (Trichoptera: Hydroptilidae): Metrichia elongata sp. nov. and Metrichia vulgaris Santos, Takiya & Nessimian 2016.

The microcaddisfly Neotropical genus Metrichia Ross, is recorded for the first time from the state of Tocantins, northern Brazil, through the discovery of two species: Metrichia elongata sp. nov. and Metrichia vulgaris Santos, Takiya & Nessimian 2016. Herein, the new species is described and illustrated based on males collected in a protected and preserved area in Cerrado biome of Tocantins. Metrichia elongata sp. nov. can be recognized mainly by the type and position of setae on the inferior appendages and morphology of the dorsolateral hook. The discovery of these species increases the number of Metrichia species in the Brazilian Cerrado from seven to eight and are only the eleventh and twelfth caddisfly species reported for Tocantins State.

Two new species of Xiphocentronidae (Trichoptera) and their bionomics in Central Amazonia, Brazil.

Two new Xiphocentronidae species are described, Machairocentron falciforme sp. nov. and Xiphocentron (Antillotrichia) sclerothrix sp. nov. Illustrations of the males, females and pupae are presented. Adults were obtained through the emergence of pupae in the laboratory and from collections in traps suspended 1 m above the water in four streams in Presidente Figueiredo, Manaus and Barcelos municipalities in Amazonas state, and Oiapoque municipality in Amapd state, Brazil. Larvae inhabiting submerged substrates and on stream banks were collected in order to determine the feeding habits by examining gut contents. Larvae of both species are practically indistinguishable; the list of material observed in the gut content therefore refers to both species. Larvae of analyzed species have scraper feeding habits.

Six new species of Cernotina Ross, 1938 (Trichoptera: Polycentropodidae) from Brazil.

Six new species of Cernotina Ross are described from two Brazilian states: Cernotina anhanguera sp. nov., Cernotina bispicata sp. nov., and Cernotina falcata sp. nov. from Goiás State (Cerrado biome) and Cernotina lanceolata sp. nov., Cernotina longispina sp. nov., and Cernotina sinuosa sp. nov. from Espírito Santo State (Atlantic Forest biome). In addition, we report the first record of Cernotina spinigera Flint 1971 from Goiás State.

Novelties in central Amazonian microcaddisflies: Three new species of Ochrotrichia Mosely (Trichoptera: Hydroptilidae).

Ochrotrichia Mosely is the most species-rich group of microcaddisflies in the Neotropical Region. However, knowledge about this genus in Brazil is still limited; only 11 species are known, distributed in the Atlantic Forest (9), Caatinga (3), and Amazon (1) biomes. In this paper, three new species of Ochrotrichia are described and illustrated based on adult males collected in the Ducke Forest Reserve, a protected area administered by the Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas da Amazonia (INPA), located in central Amazonia, Brazil. Ochrotrichia belodes sp. nov., O. buenosoria sp. nov. and O. ducke sp. nov. can be recognized mainly by the morphology of tergum X and the inferior appendages. Based on their simple, elongate tergum X, all new species are assigned to the Ochrotrichia xena Group.

On the Identity of Smicridea (Smicridea) aequalis Banks, 1920 (Trichoptera: Hydropsychidae): Morphology of Adults and Immature Stages, Bionomics, Distribution, and Male Color Dimorphism.

After 100 years of its description, the morphological circumscription of Smicridea aequalis Banks, 1920 is provided in this study by the integration of morphological characters of adult, pupal, and larval stages. This fact facilitates its recognition in faunal inventory studies and allows its use in biomonitoring programs, mainly in the Amazon and Cerrado biomes, two biodiversity hotspots where this species is widely distributed. Adults of S. aequalis may have diurnal activity as they are found frequently and abundantly on the riparian vegetation of fast-flowing streams and rivers during the day. The remarkable color dimorphism observed in males of this species was not reported previously for caddisflies.

New Neotropical species of Marilia Müller (Trichoptera: Odontoceridae).

Five new species of the caddisfly genus Marilia Müller 1880 are described from the Neotropics, Marilia cabocla sp. nov., Marilia caipira sp. nov., Marilia cunhaporanga sp. nov., Marilia manicorei sp. nov., and Marilia muelleri sp. nov. Larvae and pupae of new species are also described, in addition to the immature stages of M. fasiculata Banks 1913 and M. huamantincoae Dumas Nessimian 2009; an updated description of M. siolii Marlier 1964 male is provided. This work raises the number of species of this genus from 46 to 51 for the Neotropical Region.

Immature stages of three species and new records of five species of Phylloicus Müller (Trichoptera, Calamoceratidae) in the northern region of Brazil.

The larvae, pupae, and cases of Phylloicus amazonas Prather 2003, P. fenestratus Flint 1974, and P. passulatus Prather 2003 are described and illustrated, and the adult females of P. amazonas and P. passulatus are illustrated. Additionally, the lateral coremata with an eversible membranous sac and the everted phallus of the male of P. passulatus are illustrated and described. Larval bionomics are presented for each species. First records of species are presented for Brazil (P. passulatus), Pará state (P. amazonas, P. dumasi Santos Nessimian 2010, P. elektoros Prather 2003), and Tocantins state (P. fenestratus).

On the genus Berosus Leach (Coleoptera: Hydrophilidae) in the State of Roraima, Brazil: description of three new species and new records.

As a contribution to knowledge of the aquatic beetles of the Neotropical Region, the genus Berosus Leach is recorded for the first time from Roraima State in northern Brazil. Three new species are described and illustrated: Berosus illuviosus sp. n., B. parvus sp. n., and B. andreazzei sp. n. In addition, we present a checklist of the Berosus species collected in 26 ponds in the savanna area of the State of Roraima, with 12 new species records for the state, five of which are also new country records for Brazil.

Filling distribution gaps and honoring great taxonomist mentors: three new species of the microcaddisfly Ochrotrichia Mosely, 1934 (Trichoptera: Hydroptilidae) from the Brazilian Cerrado and a checklist from Brazil

ABSTRACT Sixteen species of the microcaddisfly Ochrotrichia Mosely, 1934 (Hydroptilidae) have been recorded so far in Brazil, mainly distributed in the Atlantic Forest of southeastern Brazil. In order to reduce the Linnean and Wallacean shortfalls for the Ochrotrichia Brazilian fauna, we diagnose, describe, and illustrate three new species based on adult males from three protected and preserved areas of the Cerrado biome of Federal District (Central-West region), Minas Gerais (Southeast region) and Tocantins (North region) states; all of them named in honor of three great Brazilian entomologists viz., Ochrotrichia froehlichi sp. nov., Ochrotrichia machadoi sp. nov. and Ochrotrichia nessimiani sp. nov. They can be recognized mainly by the morphology of the tergum X, number, and position of the spine-like setae of the inferior appendages. This contribution represents the first record of Ochrotrichia for the Central-West region, increasing the number of species of this genus in Cerrado biome from one to four, and is the first report of a microcaddisfly for the Federal District. In addition, the genus is reported for the first time from Paraná, São Francisco, and Tocantins hydrographic basins. Finally, we provide a checklist of the Ochrotrichia species from Brazil.

A new species of Phylloicus Müller 1880 (Trichoptera: Calamoceratidae) from Espírito Santo State, southeastern Brazil.

The worldwide caddisfly family Calamoceratidae comprises about 175 extant species in eight genera (Holzenthal et al. 2007). Among these, two are exclusively recorded from the Neotropics: Banyallarga Navás with 18 described species (Prather 2004) and Phylloicus Müller with 57 described species (Prather 2003, Dumas & Nessimian 2010, Santos & Nessimian 2010, Quinteiro et al. 2011), both genera recently reviewed by Prather (2003, 2004).

The immature stages of Smicridea (Rhyacophylax) gladiator Flint 1978 (Trichoptera: Hydropsychidae), with notes on distribution and bionomics.

Immature stages of many Brazilian Smicridea species remains unknown, and efforts to describe all life stages are required. In this paper, the larva and pupa of Smicridea (Rhyacophylax) gladiator Flint 1978, associated with adults through the metamorphotype method, are described and illustrated. In addition, the known distribution of this species is extended in the Brazilian Amazon Basin with new records from Amazonas state and the first record in Pará state. Information about its bionomics is also provided.

Checklist and new species of caddisfly (Insecta: Trichoptera) from Roraima state, Brazil.

We conducted an inventory of the Trichoptera fauna of Serra do Tepequém, Amajari municipality (county), Roraima state, Brazil. Adult caddisflies were collected with Pennsylvania and Malaise traps operated beside three 2nd-order streams near the summit of Serra do Tepequém. We identified 27 Trichoptera species (including two new species), all representing new records for the state of Roraima, five of these species are recorded for the first time in Brazil. In this study, two new species are described: Marilia mahedae sp. nov. differs from all other species of the genus by the following combination of characters: Segment X subquadrate in dorsal view, bipartite, membranous mesally, with short apical V-shaped incision; preanal appendages wide at base in lateral view; endotheca with an acute subapicoventral projection, directed anterad in lateral view; phallotheca very short. Polyplectropus tepequemensis sp. nov. differs from all other species of the genus by the following combination of characters: Posterior margin of sternum IX nearly straight; slightly sclerotized intermediate appendages broad in the basal 2/3 and abruptly slender apically; two phallic ducts, each with an endothecal spine. With this inventory the number of Trichoptera species for Roraima state increased from 37 to 65.

Caddisflies (Insecta: Trichoptera) from Maranhão State, Northeast Region, Brazil: A new species, checklist, and new geographical records.

In order to improve knowledge of Trichoptera diversity in Northeast Region, Brazil, we present here the first checklist of caddisflies from Maranhão State with a description of a new species and geographical records for the Northeast Region and for all of Brazil. Collections were made in 16 sites distributed in three municipalities of Maranhão State. A total of 54 caddisflies species, 26 genera and 10 families were recorded, including one new species of Leptoceridae, Triplectides maranhensis sp. nov., which is described and illustrated. All species listed here are recorded for the first time for the state, 23 of which are new records for the Northeast Region, as well as five new species for Brazil. These results increase the number of species reported from the Northeast Region from 167 to 221.

Larvas de Synoestropsis sp. (Trichoptera: Hydropsychidae) são predadoras? / Are Synoestropsis sp. larvae (Trichoptera: Hydropsychidae) predators?

Características morfológicas sugerem que larvas de Synoestropsis sp. (Trichoptera: Hydropsychidae) são predadoras. Examinamos o conteúdo estomacal de 48 larvas de Synoestropsis sp. coletadas na época de estiagem de quatro rios de cerrado (Arraia, Cauamé, Cotingo e Ereu) do estado de Roraima para avaliar o hábito alimentar de larvas desse gênero. A alta freqüência de itens animais no conteúdo estomacal das larvas corrobora a hipótese de que esta espécie é predadora.

Morphological characteristics of the Synoestropsis sp. larvae (Trichoptera: Hydropsychidae) suggests that this species is a predator. We examined the stomach contents of 48 Synoestropsis sp. larvae collected in four savannah rivers (Arraia, Cauamé, Cotingo and Ereu) in the state of Roraima during the dry season to evaluate their feeding habits. The high frequency of animal items in the stomach content confirmed the hypothesis that this specie is a predator.

Chaves de identificacão de larvas para famílias e gêneros de Trichoptera ( Insecta ) da Amazônia Central, Brasil / Identification key to families and genera of larvae of Trichoptera from Central Amazonia, Brazil

Chaves de identificacão de larvas aos níveis de família e gênero de Trichoptera da Amazônia Central são apresentadas.